Kylie M Interiors

Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore colour expert. Online decorating and e-design, e-decor consultations. Affordable and creative ideas that suit you AND your home with todays best paint colors!

  • Home
  • Hire Me
  • My Account
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • Home
  • Hire Me
    • E-Design and Online Paint Colour Consulting
    • E-Design: CLIENT REVIEWS
  • The Best Paint Colours
    • Neutral, Gray, Greige, Cream and White
    • Colours
    • Paint Colour Reviews
    • Cabinets, Trim, Ceilings & Doors
    • Paint and Colour How to’s
    • Boys, Girls and Kids Rooms
  • My Projects
    • Kylie’s Home
      • Our FOREVER Home
      • Our ‘Summer’ Home
      • Our Last Home
      • Our Oldest Home
    • Kitchen Remodel and Design
    • Living Room, Dining Room and More
    • Bathroom Design
    • New and Whole Home Design
    • Exterior Colours
  • Tips & Ideas
    • Decorating Ideas and How To’s
    • Home Update Ideas
    • Home Staging Ideas
  • Meet Kylie
You are here: Home / The Best Paint Colours / Neutral, Gray, Greige, Cream and White / Colour Review: Sherwin Williams Creamy SW 7012

May 5, 2018 by KylieMawdsley

Colour Review: Sherwin Williams Creamy SW 7012

 

My Fave Off-White Cream Paint Colour – Creamy

I always get a giggle when my E-design clients say that they love cream, but don’t love yellow. Why is that so funny? Well, because a) I’m easily amused when I’ve had 2 glasses of wine and b) because, without yellow – there is no cream!

Round accent mirror with gold detail reflecting photo gallery wall on Sherwin Williams Creamy. Kylie M Interiors E-decor and E-design. Color expert

Creamy behind the mirror and on the wall in the reflection

The basic idea behind cream is that you start out with a light yellow paint colour and you add a neutral base to it, like beige/black/gray. Once you start doing that, your ‘yellow’ turns into a cream. The more neutral you mix into it, the less yellow it gets until you eventually have beige or greige. You’ll also find creams with notes of orange, red or green in them, adding more layers of flexibility.

Now, if you’ve read my colour review on BM Gentle Cream, you’ll have learned about a ‘heavy cream’ – a cream that is not ‘fresh and light’, but has a bit of weight to it. You might have also explored my review of BM Ballet White, which is on the very EDGE of cream/beige/greige.  So today, we’re going to talk about a DIFFERENT type of cream – one on the lighter, fresher end of the scale – Sherwin Williams Creamy.

Paint Colour review, Sherwin Williams Creamy. Best cream paint colour. LRV, north and south. Kylie M Interiors E-design, online virtual paint colour consulting

The Undertones of Creamy

YELLOW! Surprise surprise! Well, actually, yellow is its ‘colour’, but what it has is a NEUTRAL undertone that calms it down, so that it’s not day-glo yellow – it’s cream.

Ikea Hemnes bookcases in family room with chartreuse accent chair. Sherwin Williams Creamy paint color and home decor. Globe collection. Kylie M Interiors E-design

It also has a tiny touch of an orange feel, via the beige in it, which stops it from being as yellow toned as SW Dover White (which I find a touch too yellow, personally).

The LRV of Creamy

If you aren’t familiar with LRV, you should read this, it’s a game changer when choosing colours – trust the Ginger. The basic idea is that the higher the LRV number is, the lighter a colour is; the lower the LRV number is, the darker the colour is. Creamy has an LRV of 81, which in the colour world is PRETTY DARNED HIGH and plants it nicely in the off-white range.

Creamy in a South Facing Room

South facing light is a warm, yellow light. This light will enhance warm colours, bringing out their glorious warmth. So, when you put Creamy in a south facing room, you can expect that creamy yellow warmth to rise UP and become more noticeable. You may find a similar effect in the afternoon in a west facing room.

Sherwin Williams Creamy is a light paint colour to brighten a room and make it feel warmer and bigger. In living room

These 2 photos show the ABSOLUTE warmest Creamy will look (south facing/warm bulbs)

Living room with stone fireplace, Sherwin Williams Creamy. HOw to make a paint palette

The same thing will happen in the evening if you have warm bulbs in your fixtures, as shown below.

Sherwin Williams Creamy with Cloud White trim is a good paint colour for a dark hallway or stairwell. With beige carpet

Read more: The Best Paint Colours for a South Facing Room

Creamy in a North Facing Room

I LOVE Creamy in a north facing space, I feel like that’s where it’s at its very best. Northern light is a gray light with a blue cast. This light calms Creamy right down, so it acts like a soft, subtle warm – almost not creamy colour. There is still residual warmth in it, but it’s not noticeably ‘yellow’. (You may find a similar effect in an east facing room).

Sherwin Williams Creamy is a great paint color for home staging or selling. As shown in stairway with wood and metal railing by Kylie M Interiors E-design

Shown here with BM Cloud White trim

And take a moment to look at those last 2 photos. Same area, but the top photo is in the evening and the bottom photo is in the daytime – just shows you how much colour changes throughout the day!

Read more: The Best Paint Colours for a North Facing Room

Creamy in a Dark Room

Well, I’ve said it before, and because I like to hear myself talk, I’ll say it again…

‘If you have a dark room, there is no paint colour that will save you’ – Moi

Hallway update with wood look laminate flooring, Sherwin Williams Creamy and Benjamin Moore Gray feature wall or accent wall. Kylie M Interiors E-design

You need to improve your interior lighting before you can find a paint colour that will work. Sure, Creamy will ‘help’ and might reflect a bit of the minimal natural or artificial light it’s given, but don’t expect it to work wonders if it’s not GIVEN enough light.

Creamy in a Bright Room

Well, with that killer high LRV, you can totally expect Creamy to wash-out on a well-lit wall – particularly at the height of day with direct sunlight on it. In a ‘generally’ bright room, it will hold itself as a soft warm white/off-white as long as it has some white (trim/cabinets) to contrast with.

2 storey entryway, foyer and stairwell with rounded or curved wood and metal railing. Sherwin Williams Creamy

Sherwin Williams Creamy with glass french door into home office with black feature or accent wall. Kylie M Interiors E-decor and color consulting

Creamy on Trim

This is where you want to be careful. Whereas Creamy is gorgeous on walls, it’s a tougher sell on the trim. Because it has that creamy warmth, it’s a harder one to partner up with paint colours on the walls compared to more flexible whites and off-whites.

NEED HELP?

Let me show you 3 GORGEOUS colours hand-picked for you and your room via my E-Design and Online Colour Consulting packages.

edesign, virtual paint colour consulting. Kylie M Interiors Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams color expert. marketing (22)

Chat soon,

Kylie M Interiors, decorating blog, e-design, online colour consulting expert. signature

Read more:

The Best Cream Paint Colours

Colour Review: Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream

Colour Review: Benjamin Moore Ballet White

 

Share this!

  • Tweet
Legal Notice:    All the information and Kylie M Interiors watermarked images are the property of Kylie M Interiors, all rights reserved.  Please just ask if you would like to borrow any of my images (with full credit) and I’m sure that I’ll be happy to oblige
❮❮ Previous Post
Next Post ❯ ❯

Comments

  1. Susie says

    May 5, 2018 at 7:44 pm

    I will add that creamy is a great exterior trim color. It’s not too white and it doesn’t go yellow, like say BM linen white. I personally think it’s got a teensy bit of green in it.

    Reply
  2. Deedra says

    May 5, 2018 at 8:47 pm

    Loved this article! How does Sherwin William’s Antique White compare to Gentle Cream? Is it between Creamy and Gentle Cream? I’ve run across several pictures of Antique White and really like it. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Truly says

    May 5, 2018 at 9:56 pm

    My entryway and front hall (which face East) are painted Sherwin Willians “creamy” and it’s so beautiful! I love it! It’s such a pretty color! My trim is Sherwin Williams “Extra White” and the rest of downstairs is painted Revere Pewter. The colors look nice together!

    Reply
  4. Susan Davis says

    May 6, 2018 at 7:03 am

    Our builder’s default trim color was Creamy (2009) and it worked with the colors and finishes used then. Now that we have updated our wall colors to brighter/fresher, we will be painting all the trim–mostly because of Creamy’s extreme variability. In some rooms, Creamy is fine and looks fairly “white” and in others it looks dingy or oddly, gray. I think Creamy is a color that has to be really really tested in context and next to any hard finishes. Just my 2 cents 😉

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      May 6, 2018 at 9:27 am

      Ooo yes, it is a tricky one! It’s all about exposure and ‘what it’s with’. And it’s a tough one on trim too, I always find it interesting when builders veer away from more standard whites – personally, I think Creamy is best for walls only!

      Reply
  5. Mary Ann says

    May 6, 2018 at 7:12 pm

    I’ve heard that Creamy is the closest color to the “white” furniture from Pottery Barn. Would you agree with that or is there another color that is a better match?

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      May 7, 2018 at 8:23 am

      Hi Mary Ann, I’m just not sure, unfortunately we don’t have a Pottery Barn here!

      Reply
  6. Donna says

    May 7, 2018 at 9:52 am

    Can Sherwin Williams “Alabaster” be used for trim with Creamy on the walls? Is there enough contrast using both together?

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      May 7, 2018 at 6:38 pm

      Yes, it would be soft and subtle, but quite pretty! I might ask them to add 4 ounces of white to Alabaster, which just cleans it up a wee wink (and improves the coverage of it too).

      Reply
      • Carol says

        October 5, 2018 at 12:51 pm

        Hi. I have Creamy trim and doors. I am painting the kitchen cabinets and walls. I am leaning toward Albaster. Why do you recommend making it more white? I don’t get a lot of light. Thanks.

        Reply
        • KylieMawdsley says

          October 5, 2018 at 4:02 pm

          Hi Carol! Well, some people find that it’s just a touch too warm/creamy and the 4 ounces can just clean it up a stitch. Whites also don’t always cover well, and the 4 ounces can help with that!

          Reply
  7. Susan says

    May 9, 2018 at 7:38 pm

    Hi Kylie, I always find your articles fun and interesting, thank you!
    I have been on the hunt for a warm off-white paint color for the majority of my main floor. I’m currently testing SW Creamy on few walls but unfortunately, it’s not quite ‘it’, I think I would like it just a smidge less yellow but still warm and maybe a bit more neutral – any suggestions?
    I, like you have a weakness for creamy colors, I had Gentle Cream for 15 years and loved it. Finding the right ‘white’ is honestly the most challenging color I have ever picked. When searching the web, I always find similar suggestions for whites – Dove White, Simply White, Decorator’s White etc. It would be nice to see suggestions for some other whites that are maybe not quite as ‘white’. Maybe – Gasp light beige! Ok ok, maybe we could call it sand. Yes, an off-white or sandy white, a white that looks lovely with wood tones, one that would be beautiful in a cottage or farmhouse. One with enough depth to show some contrast next to white trim (mine closely resembles BM Snowfall White) but is still light and fresh. With all the white right now, it would be nice to see more ideas for whitish wall paint colors. Are you pondering anything? If so, please share your wisdom.
    Thanks so much, Susan in Alberta

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      May 9, 2018 at 10:26 pm

      Hi Susan, I wonder if you might like SW White Duck perhaps????!

      Reply
      • Susan says

        May 10, 2018 at 5:55 pm

        I’ll have a look at White Duck, thanks so much! White is tough!

        Reply
  8. Maureen says

    May 10, 2018 at 8:31 pm

    I plan on painting my split-level home in SW agreeable gray. what’s your opinion on SW network gray for west facing kitchen, dining room and hallway walls? the blue undertone in it looks nice next to my oak cabinets and trim.( based on the swatch ) , my only concern is if it will fall flat in the hallway.(not much natural light). Glad I found your site and videos. I’ve learned a lot. Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Michele says

    June 3, 2018 at 8:45 am

    Hi Kylie,

    I just painted my bedroom in Creamy after reading your review of the color. Is your bedroom/ or do you happen to have any photos of bedrooms painted this color? I’d love to see some photos for inspiration for decorating. Thanks for creating such helpful and thorough reviews. You are so helpful!!

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      June 10, 2018 at 5:48 pm

      HOoray, another Creamy lover! Unfortunately, I don’t have any bedrooms in Creamy, but I would love some (hint hint…)

      Reply
  10. Julie Roberts says

    July 7, 2018 at 7:28 am

    Hi Kylie! Love your site…I have been on it all evening….thinking of using Creamy in my front hall and west facing living room but not sure which SW white to use as a trim colour. I’ve always used BM Cloud White, but my painter uses SW products.
    I want some contrast between the two colours….maybe Pure White? Or Alabaster? We’re looking to sell the house.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      July 7, 2018 at 4:04 pm

      Thank you Julie! With Creamy I also like Cloud White, but Alabaster would be a pretty choice!

      Reply
  11. Krystal says

    July 7, 2018 at 2:49 pm

    Ok we’re buying a house that has Creamy on the trim and gold walls. We’re painting the walls and leaving the creamy trim to help the cost. Should I do the walls creamy as well or a light light warmer grey?! Ahhh

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      July 7, 2018 at 4:02 pm

      Hi Krystal, you can do the walls Creamy as well or a light soft gray, just knowing that Creamy will slightly enhance the gray and the gray will enhance Creamy!

      Reply
  12. Patty Murphy says

    July 12, 2018 at 9:24 am

    Hi Kylie!
    Thank goodness for your willingness to share your expertise! Choosing paint color is not my strength,, so I am reading everything I can find. Our east/west facing home has honey oak baseboards and doors, that is what was “in” when we built our home…sigh. Painting the baseboards and doors are not currently an option….double sigh & roll my eyes, so my paint color expedition has been quite perplexing. We will be painting the entire first floor-two-story entry, dining, living, and kitchen areas. These rooms flow into one another, so we are looking for one fabulous color. These areas are entirely done in Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors.
    As I type, painted on my walls are the following color patches: SW Creamy, SW Steamed Milk, SW Patience, SW Moderate White, and SW Natural Linen…our home looks like a fun-house. 🙂 I’m not a fan of walls that scream yellow, but I know there is yellow in some of these colors.
    I would greatly appreciate any guidance your could provide! (My husband will thank you too!)

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      July 15, 2018 at 6:59 pm

      Hi Patty, thank you! You know, when it comes to personal questions, I do refer to my E-design services. I try to give as much helpful, complimentary advice on my blog, and if that doesn’t help, it might be time for me to look at some photos and spend some time with your room! If you’re interested, I’d love to help! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/online-decorating-design-services/
      ~Kylie

      Reply
  13. Medora says

    September 7, 2018 at 6:30 am

    This was soooo helpful! My husband and I just bought a house and I have been stressing about pairing creamy with white trim. I was afraid that painting the walls creamy and the trim white would look like an oops but your post has convinced me otherwise! We have a living room with gorgeous stained wood trim that I don’t want to paint and creamy looks soo good with it! But the sunroom is right off the living room and has painted trim. What SW white do you recommend for the painted trim throughout the house? I like a good white white trim and may even paint the kitchen cabinets the same white.

    THANK YOU!

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      September 7, 2018 at 2:12 pm

      Hi Medora, take a look at SW Pure White, it’s pretty awesome!

      Reply
  14. C says

    October 26, 2018 at 8:29 pm

    Creamy is a miracle-worker! We just purchased an 80s home and doing a total reno of the small master bath isnt priority as everything is functional…. but SW Creamy just went up after reading this & your article on beige/almond fixtures. Salesman tried to suggest Alabaster but I was armed with your expertise and knew it wouldn’t work. It’s been about 3 weeks and I still cant believe the difference… Creamy brightened the room and tied together ALL the different shades of brown: multitonal brown stone shower tiles, beige marbled floor, dark brown vanity, 80s beige countertop perfectly with the white toilet and tub. Creamy basically neutralized everything, and calmed the room down to just look more intentional and cohesive. It definitely is yellowy, but goes away against the browns, and it’s not dingy. We used SW extra white on the small amount of trim and the door. A sincere thank you for your very specific and insightful guidance via these articles and comment sections!

    Reply
  15. Valerie Maloof says

    October 28, 2018 at 6:59 am

    What do you think of kitchen cabinets painted creamy in a partly west facing kitchen? The rest of the room will also be warm with dark stained wood floors, a dark stained island and dark stained woodwork on windows with a soapstone counter and white quartz counter on island?

    Reply
  16. Corinne says

    February 23, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    I am looking for a white for the exterior of my stucco house. I want a slight off white (not stark white) but not too beige or too yellow. Would creamy work?

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      February 25, 2019 at 8:27 pm

      Hi Corinne! It really does depend on your roof/stone/brick/window colour and exposure, but generally, I think Creamy is too yellow. Take a look at BM White Dove or SW Alabaster which aren’t off-whites, but are warm whites. In the off-white range, I’d hit up SW White Duck, but once you hit the off-white range you WILL see more colour (beige/greige/cream) 🙂

      Reply
  17. Deborah L Griffis says

    February 25, 2019 at 11:31 am

    I first discovered SW Creamy almost 11 years ago when I had the entire interior of my home repainted that color. I love it so much, that when it was time for a refresh, yep, I used Creamy once again. I am a big blue and white fan, and my pieces pop with the Creamy background. Love, love, love it!

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      February 25, 2019 at 8:33 pm

      I know, right?! It is such a stinkin’ gorgeous colour! I loved it in our last home and was disappointed when it didn’t totally suit our current home – if you love warm colours, this is a winner!

      Reply
  18. Lindsay says

    February 27, 2019 at 8:58 am

    So glad I found your website!! You really have the most comprehensive explanations of paint colors I have seen and you are spot on. I was trying to figure out a color for my 2 story/vaulted ceiling living / dining room, stairway and loft that is mostly north facing with 1 east and 1 west window. I first tried repose grey and just like your post said it could, it came out very blue. I decided to go with your recommendation here of creamy (at 75% because I had 1 walk showing a little too yellow for my liking) and it is perfect!! Not a stark white, not cream but just a slight hint of warmth. I decided on sw extra white for trim. Lastly I need to figure out the ceiling. What did you paint your ceiling in your house? Or what ceiling color do you recommend for a vaulted ceiling to go with creamy?

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      February 27, 2019 at 3:16 pm

      Hi Lindsay, I just LOVE notes like this! As for white, I chose BM Cloud White – I liked the warmth and how it sat with Creamy. You can also look at SW Alabaster, which is soft and warm, but I might ask them to add 4-6 drops of white to the gallon, just to clean it up a stitch :).

      Reply
  19. Dana Harlan says

    May 14, 2019 at 11:00 am

    Thank you for sharing great advice and information.
    If I use SW-White Duck on my walls, what warm white paint could I use for my kitchen cabinets? Thanks.

    Reply
  20. Heidi Blanchard says

    May 20, 2019 at 7:40 am

    Hi Kylie,
    Do you think BM White Dove would be a good trim for SW Creamy Walls? Also thinking of using White Dove on my cabinets.

    Just curious if the two go together well. Thank you.

    Reply
  21. Kathy says

    September 14, 2019 at 9:03 am

    Kylie,
    What is the dark color on the accent wall?

    Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      September 15, 2019 at 1:56 pm

      Hi Kathy, that’s BM Gray 2121-10 🙂

      Reply
    • KylieMawdsley says

      September 15, 2019 at 1:57 pm

      Hi Kathy, that’s BM Steel Wool 🙂

      Reply
      • Kathy says

        September 15, 2019 at 6:57 pm

        Thank you! I love the dark color pop! I am thinking about Creamy on my LR walls (north facing room with some east facing light) and an accent wall in Dorian Gray.

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Guess what? I’ve got ebooks!

Home staging e books, Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consulting and advice blog

Hire Me! E-Design

EDESIGN, ONLINE PAINT COLOR CONSULTING WITH KYLIE M INTERIORS. BENJAMIN MOORE AND SHERWIN WILLIAMS EXPERT

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR Do you need help choosing the best paint colours for you and your home? Let me make it easy for you. It’s what I … Read more...

Meet Kylie

Kylie M INteriors Edesign, online paint color consultant. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. Decor and Design blogger. Paint reviews consulting

Thank you for visiting my Paint Colour Blog - I'm glad you're here! I'm Kylie, a quirky, … Read more...

Top Blog Posts

  • Sherwin Williams : The 10 Best Gray and Greige Paint Colours
    Sherwin Williams : The 10 Best Gray and Greige Paint Colours
  • The 4 Best White Paint Colours:  Sherwin Williams
    The 4 Best White Paint Colours: Sherwin Williams
  • The 9 Best Benjamin Moore Paint Colors - Grays (Including Undertones)
    The 9 Best Benjamin Moore Paint Colors - Grays (Including Undertones)
  • Sherwin Williams : 5 of the Best Neutral / Beige Paint Colours
    Sherwin Williams : 5 of the Best Neutral / Beige Paint Colours
  • The Best Paint Colours To Go With Oak (or Wood) - Trim, Floor, Cabinets and More...
    The Best Paint Colours To Go With Oak (or Wood) - Trim, Floor, Cabinets and More...
  • The 8 Best Benjamin Moore WHITE Paint Colours - Undertones and More...
    The 8 Best Benjamin Moore WHITE Paint Colours - Undertones and More...

Search (it actually works!)

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Contact Kylie M Interiors
  • Privacy and Legal
  • Hire Me
  • My Account
  • Cart
  • Checkout